Conference of High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions

The four Geneva Conventions are fundamental treaties in international humanitarian law, and establish rules to protect people in wartime. Adopted in Geneva in 1949, the conventions aim to limit suffering by establishing rules of conduct for conflicting parties, notably by protecting the wounded, prisoners of war and civilians. Switzerland is the depositary state of the Geneva Conventions. This status confers on Switzerland administrative responsibilities such as maintaining the list of high contracting parties and transmitting and preserving texts, communications and acts of states parties. As the depositary state, Switzerland is mandated to act on behalf of, and in the service of, the high contracting parties, and is bound to impartiality.

On 18 September 2024, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) asked Switzerland, as the depositary state, to convene a Conference of High Contracting Parties on the observance of the Fourth Geneva Convention (protection of civilians) in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. The UNGA resolution stipulates that the conference must take place within six months of 18 September 2024.

Israel and Palestine

Although they cannot take binding decisions, conferences of high contracting parties can reaffirm the rules of international humanitarian law and the obligations of the high contracting parties in this regard.

Switzerland will conduct consultations with the high contracting parties to the Geneva Conventions (some 196 states) in order to present the process to them and discuss their expectations. The process will be overseen by Ambassador Franz Perrez, head of the FDFA's Directorate of International Law. Salman Bal, who is currently Switzerland's ambassador to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, has been awarded the title of special envoy for this mission and will lead the consultations.

All high contracting parties, including Israel and Palestine, will be invited to take part in the conference, which is expected to take place in March 2025 in Geneva. The city has already hosted the three previous conferences of high contracting parties organised by Switzerland as depositary state in 1999, 2001, and 2014. The conference will be attended by the permanent representatives of the high contracting parties based in Geneva.

Switzerland's commitment to the Geneva Conventions is a priority of its foreign policy and is representative of its long-standing humanitarian tradition.

Address for enquiries:

FDFA Communication
Federal Palace West Wing
CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland
Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55
E-mail: [email protected]
Twitter: @SwissMFA

Publisher:

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs